France announces reshuffle

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PARIS, FRANCE (XINHUA) – French presidential office on Thursday announced a newly reshuffled government still leading by French Prime Minister Elizabeth Borne, with the leadership of most main ministries remaining unchanged.

Aurelien Rousseau, who was Borne’s Chief of Staff for one year, takes over Francois Braun as the Health Minister.

Historian appointed as education minister last year, Pap Ndiaye will leave the government, to be replaced by Gabriel Attal, who was named budget minister in 2022 and had served as government spokesperson for two years before that.

New members also include Philippe Vigier, a member of the Democratic Movement, who will serve as the new Minister Delegate for Overseas Affairs. The mayor of Dunkirk, Patrice Vergriete, was brought in as the Minister Delegate for Housing.

Sabrina Agresti-Roubache was appointed the State Secretary for Cities, a position in which she will be responsible for urban policy.

Marlene Schiappa, the state secretary for the social and solidarity economy and associative Lifes, will leave the government as she has been under fire over the misuse of an anti-extremism fund. French President Emmanuel Macron chaired the first Cabinet meeting of the new government yesterday morning.

French President Emmanuel Macron speaks while Foreign Affairs Minister Catherine Colonna and newly named Education Minister Gabriel Attal listen as Macron chairs a meeting after a Cabinet reshuffle at the Elysee Palace in Paris. PHOTO: AP